Liturgy
O God from whom every gift derives,
we gather to worship you this day.
You are a holy and awesome God,
greater than our comprehension
or our imagination.
You are beyond any word we
could ever use to describe you.
And yet, through Jesus, we know
the intimacy of your vast love.
We have come to you in
thanksgiving and praise,
to know that you are God
and to place our lives anew
into your perspective.
Enlarge our vision this hour with your word.
Instill in us, again, your hope in place of our
despair, your peace where our hatred
threatens, your joy amidst our depression,
your love overwhelming our apathy.
We ask this in the name
of you, the Father,
you, the Son
and you, the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Community Confession
As a community of believers,
Holy One, we open ourselves
to your restorative presence.
We are surrounded by beauty,
yet we often fail to wonder.
We are to be symbols of hope,
yet we often succumb to despair.
God of patience, have mercy on us.
We are blessed beyond measure, yet
we allow greed to shape our generosity.
We are uncommonly free, yet we often
bind ourselves to yesterday’s failures.
God of our past, our present and future,
have mercy on us.
We are gifted and graced as a people of faith,
yet we often fail to let our light shine.
We are loved beyond measure, yet we often
fail to pass on your love unconditionally.
God of abundance, have mercy on us.
In these moments of shared silence,
encourage us to lay down our burdens,
release our fears, forgive our failures,
reclaim our hopes, and align ourselves
with the profound covenant you have
made with us.
All this we confidently pray
in the name of the Father,
of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sermon and Reflection
Sermon Podcast 7.12.15 -Scripture II
How is our faith in Christ strengthened through Scripture?
As we read scripture, how are we becoming more loving people?
How can we engage Scripture with the mystery of God in tension with our need for certainty?
Benediction
Go now, with your trust in Christ
who quenches your soul’s thirst
with the wine of God’s love.
Do not be silent about God’s faithfulness,
when in need, take shelter in God’s
provisions and keep your hearts honest.
And may God rejoice over you
and call you “My Delight”;
May Christ Jesus bring out
the best in you, to his glory;
And may the Spirit equip you all
with gifts for the common good.
We leave here to love and serve
in name of the Father,
of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.